This invention relates broadly to developments in packaging and, more particularly, pertains to a package having a collapsible film arrangement for placing an article in protective suspension during shipping.
There are various known packaging designs by which an item to be shipped or transported is contained within an enclosure or envelope which is thereafter sealed and inflated to protect the item. Many of these packaging designs involve double walled constructions of inner and outer flexible sheets, panels or envelopes having inflatable chambers between them with pressurized air causing encapsulation of the item between the inner panels. Such designs are not always reusable, are prone to puncture and often have curved or rounded, outer inflated surfaces which are not conducive to being easily received in commercially available outer shipping containers or boxes.
Another known protective packaging design includes a pair of rigid plastic frame members which carry removable insert trays having resilient, non-inflatable films. When the package is closed, the resilient films stretch around an object to be shipped. While this design may be more easily placed in a supplementary outer container, the resilient films do not always hold the object to be shipped tightly. In addition, there is the need to occasionally replace the insert trays and resilient film which can add to the cost of this design.
Accordingly, there is a need for a differently styled, reusable, inflatable package which combines the best features of the prior art without any of the drawbacks. It is therefore desirable to provide a package which maintains its outer configuration yet substantially surrounds the entire surface area of any object to be shipped in a manner that produces optimum protection. It is further desirable to provide a package which is easily transformed between opened and closed positions without heat sealing or the like.
It is one object of the present invention to provide a package having a pressurized film arrangement which is integral with an outer closable container.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a package having a transparent structure which avails itself to inspection of the item being shipped.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a package which is adequately sealed to prevent entry of moisture, dirt and other contaminants which may negatively affect the item to be shipped.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a package which is adapted to be received in a commercially available shipping container.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a package which is economical, compact and will provide complete protection of the item during shipment, storage and handling.
In one aspect of the invention, a protective package includes first and second frame members, each having inner surfaces including a planar face and side walls which define a well extending therebelow. The frame members have a hinge connection to permit movement between an opened position and a closed position wherein the frame members are positioned face-to-face. The package includes structure for locking the frame members together in the closed position. A first collapsible film has outer edges secured to inner surfaces of the first frame member to create a first inflatable chamber between the first well and the first film. A second collapsible film has outer edges secured to inner surfaces of the second frame member to create a second inflatable chamber between the second well and the second film. A flexible tube extends across the hinge connection placing the first and second chambers in communication with each other. One of the frame members has a one-way valve for introducing and maintaining a filler medium such as air in the first and second chambers by means of a blowhole formed in one side wall of the one frame member. One of the frame members is provided with a relief valve for releasing air from the chambers. The relief valve is comprised of an aperture formed in one of the wells, and a closure strip attached to an external surface of the well to selectively open and close the aperture. Each of the frame members is preferably constructed of a rigid, clear plastic material. The first and second collapsible films are preferably constructed of a clear plastic material. The inner ends of the first and second collapsible films are formed with throughholes in communication with opposite ends of the flexible tube. The one-way valve is a duckbill valve.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a package for protecting an object to be shipped. The package has a pair of rigid frame members, each having surfaces including a planar face and side walls which define a well extending therebelow. The frame members have a hinge connection to permit movement between an opened position and a closed position wherein the frame members are positioned face-to-face. The improvement relates to a collapsible film arrangement secured to inner surfaces of the frame member to define an inflatable chamber between the film arrangement and each well, each chamber being in communication with the other. One of the frame members has a one-way valve for introducing air into the chambers by means of a blowhole formed in one side wall of the one frame member. Introduction of air into the chambers will maintain the shape of the frame members and will cause the film arrangement to tightly collapse upon and adhere to substantially an entire surface area of an object placed on an inner surface of the film arrangement to protectively suspend the object between the frame members.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.